GAUTAM GAMBHIR said the Indian cricket board would decide his future as head coach after India lost the Test series 2-0 to South Africa on Wednesday.
India were beaten by 408 runs in the second Test, their biggest defeat by runs, and suffered a fifth loss in seven home matches. The team had earlier been whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand a year ago, and the latest result in Guwahati renewed questions about Gambhir’s approach.
"It is up to BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to decide," Gambhir said at the post-match press conference when asked if he was the right person for the job.
"I've said it during my first press conference when I took over as the head coach -- Indian cricket is important, I'm not important. And I sit here saying exactly the same thing."
Gambhir, 44, took over from Rahul Dravid after last year’s T20 World Cup win and has since lost 10 out of 19 Tests. His contract runs until the 2027 ODI World Cup.
"People can keep forgetting I'm the same guy who got results in England as well, with a young team," he said about the drawn away series this year.
"And I'm sure you guys will forget very soon because a lot of people keep talking about New Zealand.
"And I'm the same guy under who we won the Champions Trophy and Asian Cup as well," he added.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from T20 internationals after the World Cup win in Barbados and ended their Test careers earlier this year.
Shubman Gill became Test captain ahead of the 2-2 series in England and oversaw a 2-0 home series win against the West Indies.
Gill was injured in the first match of the South Africa series and missed the second Test, with Rishabh Pant leading a side in transition.
India were bowled out for 140 while chasing 549, with the batting faltering throughout the series. Their highest score was 201 in the first innings in Guwahati.
"I don't give excuses and I have never done that in the past," Gambhir said.
"But if you see four or five batters in this top eight have literally played less than 15 Tests. And they will grow. They are learning on the job."
India’s spinners also struggled on home pitches, while South Africa’s Simon Harmer took 17 wickets with off-spin.
"I do not think so ever in Test cricket something like this has happened where the transition is happening in the spin-bowling department and in a batting department as well," Gambhir said.
"All of us need to give them time and I am sure they have got the skill, they have got the talent, they have got the ability."
